Buddhism is one of the six official religions recognized by the Indonesian state. It is the second oldest religion in Indonesia. Buddhist influence is perceptible through religious monuments discovered in certain Indonesian regions, such as the magnificent Borobudur Temple located in Central Java. At the end of the 16th century, Islam eventually supplanted Hindu and Buddhist religions. It was from this period onwards that Indonesians gradually forgot most of the Buddhist sites, temples and writings of that era.

Buddhism in Indonesia today:

Only 1% of the Indonesian population identifies as Buddhist, or between two to three million Indonesians. The Chinese minority in Indonesia comprises most of the Buddhist Indonesians. Although this religion only affects a small proportion of the population, Indonesians are conscious of their Hindu-Buddhist heritage and wish to preserve it.

Nowadays, the Vesak ceremony is the most important religious event of the year for Buddhists in Indonesia. They typically gather at Borobudur during the full moon of Vesak month to commemorate the life of Buddha. Thus, in 2018, this celebration takes place in May.